The Impact of a Family Dog Training Program on the Physical Activity, Quality of Life, and Social Wellbeing of Adolescents
About the Session
This lecture will feature Dr. Megan MacDonald, Ph.D, and Dr. Monique Udell, Ph.D, on their HABRI-funded research project to evaluate a novel dog training camp intervention employing Do As I Do (“DAID”) dog training, to promote physical activity in adolescents, and to evaluate the impact of this DAID dog training program on the child-dog relationship and sense of responsibility for their pet. This novel intervention emphasizes an active partnership between the family dog and adolescent, allowing both to develop critical skills through a unique dog training camp aimed at improving the child-dog bond, mutual physical activity as well as feelings of responsibility, quality of life and social wellbeing for adolescents, a group at high risk for physical inactivity, anxiety and depression.
About the Speakers
Megan MacDonald, Ph.D. is the interim head of the school of biological & population health sciences, an associate professor of kinesiology, and the OSU IMPACT for Life faculty scholar – all housed within the College of Public Health and Human Sciences. Her vision is that every child is active and accepted.
Megan works to achieve her vision by conducting high-quality research, teaching and outreach focused on youthful activity for all people.
Her research has been published in high-impact academic journals in her field, and she has disseminated her work at academic and professional meetings nationally and internationally. Her work has also been supported through distinguished funding mechanisms, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education programs.
Megan earned her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 2011, and she disseminates her ideas to the public through various mechanisms, including articles and essays, news interviews, presentations, lectures and op-eds. Her opinions have been featured widely, including U.S. News & World Report, The Hill and the Los Angeles Times.
Dr. Monique Udell is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and an Associate Professor of Animal & Rangeland Sciences at Oregon State University. As the director of the Human-Animal Interactions Laboratory, her work involves teaching, research and outreach focused on animal behavior, cognition, and learning, with a special emphasis on the impacts that human-animal bonds can have on behavioral development, health and mutual wellbeing. Dr. Udell currently also Co-directs an imitation-based dog training intervention and research program dedicated to improving the physical activity and quality of life of children with and without developmental disabilities and their family dog. This body of work has resulted in national and international recognition, and has been featured in the New York Times, NPR, Huffington Post and National Geographic among other media outlets. To find out more visit: https://thehumananimalbond.com/
